The subject invention relates to battery powered appliances, including electric light source systems and flashlights.
Even though flashlights and similar systems exist in a very large number of different types and kinds, there still were needs which had not been met, as this disclosure will show by reference to prior-art systems.
The subject invention and its embodiments provide various improvements and innovations meeting and satisfying several of such needs.
The invention resides in a flashlight having two battery-powered and individually switched electric light sources, and, more specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a common reflector structure for such two electric light sources including a first reflector having a first light-projecting characteristic for a first one of such two electric light sources, and a second reflector having for the second of such two electric light sources a second light-projecting characteristic different from the first light-projecting characteristic; such first and second reflectors arranged side by side and having a common boundary across part of such common reflector structure.
The invention also resides in a flashlight having a switched electric light source, and, more specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a battery for such electric light source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, a housing for such battery, a positive battery charging current receiving terminal connected to the positive terminal and a negative battery charging current receiving terminal connected to the negative terminal in such housing, a holder for such housing, battery charging circuitry having in such holder a positive battery charging current supply terminal corresponding to the positive battery charging current receiving terminal, and a negative battery charging current supply terminal corresponding to the negative battery charging current receiving terminal, and interacting housing and holder features on the housing and the holder enabling insertion of such housing into the holder only for connection of the positive battery charging current receiving terminal to the positive battery charging current supply terminal and connection of the negative battery charging current receiving terminal to the negative battery charging current supply terminal.
The invention also resides in a flashlight having two battery-powered and individually switched electric light sources, and, more specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a first electric battery for a first one of such two electric light sources, a second electric battery for the second of such two electric light sources, a first switching device between such first electric battery and the first electric light source, a second switching device between the second electric battery and the second electric light source, and a sequential actuator coupled to such first and second switching devices; such first electric light source having a power rating that is a fraction of a power rating of the second electric light source.
The invention resides also in a flashlight receivable in a flashlight holder, and, more specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in combination, a flashlight-in-holder interlock having interlocking features on the flashlight and its holder; such interlock being manually releasable for removal of the flashlight from its holder without tools or fracture of parts, and such interlock retaining the flashlight in its holder against forces of acceleration in calamities.
The invention resides also in combinations of such features.